 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "British Rail Class 118" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| British Rail Class 118 | |
|---|---|
 BR class 118 DMU Nos. 51302+59469+51317 in British Telecom advertising livery | |
| In service | 1960-1994 |
| Manufacturer | Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
| Number built | 15 sets (45 cars) |
| Number preserved | 1 car (DMS 51321) |
| Formation | 3-car sets:DMBS-TCL-DMS |
| Capacity | DMBS: 65 second TCL: 24 first, 50 second DMS: 89 second |
| Operators | British Rail |
| Lines served | Western Region |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
| Weight | Power cars: 36 long tons 0 cwt (80,600 lb or 36.6 t), Trailer cars: 30 long tons 0 cwt (67,200 lb or 30.5 t) |
| Prime mover(s) | TwoBUT engines per power car |
| Power output | 150 hp (112 kW) per engine |
| Safety system(s) | AWS |
| Multiple working | ■ Blue Square |
TheBritish Rail Class 118diesel multiple units were built by theBirmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and introduced from 1960. It was a licence-built version of theBritish Rail Class 116.[1]
BR Derby was inundated with orders for the Class 116, so the work was put out to tender. All Class 118s were built inBirmingham byBirmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company.[2]
Originally allocated to theWestern Region, the 118 was extensively used inDevon andCornwall. They were stabled atLaira depot. The 118s survived in service in the region until 1994 when they were replaced byClass 156s.[citation needed]
In its final days, vehicles were allocated toTyseley depot inBirmingham, and were all withdrawn by the end of 1994. Like most first generation DMUs they were originally BR Green, then plain blue, and finally blue and grey, with a few receivingNetwork SouthEast livery. One set was painted in all over yellow with advertisements forBritish Telecom.[3]
A normal formation was three vehicles- a Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) which had two BUT engines (Later fitted with Leyland), a driving compartment (cab), 65 second class seats, guards accommodation and luggage/parcels space, a Trailer CompositeLavatory (TCL) which had no engines or driving compartment, but had 22 first class seats, 48 second class seats and a lavatory, and a Driving Motor Second (DMS), which like the DMBS had two engines and a driver's cab, and contained 89 second class seats. Having the 'blue square' multiple working system allowed them to run in formations containing up to 12 cars with most of BR's other DMUs.
Two vehicles were converted tosandite use.[4]
| Lot No. | Type | Diagram | Qty | Fleet numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30543 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 850 | 15 | 51302–51316 | |
| 30544 | Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL) | 851 | 15 | 59469–59483 | |
| 30545 | Driving Motor Second (DMS) | 852 | 15 | 51317–51331 |
Only one Class 118 vehicle, DMS Number 51321, has been preserved and is at theBattlefield Line. This vehicle has been paired withclass 116 DMBS 51131, also based on the railway.
